Water on the moon?

When a stream of charged particles known as the solar wind careens onto the Moon’s surface at 450 kilometres per second, they enrich the Moon’s surface in ingredients that could make water, NASA scientists have found.

Using a computer program, scientists simulated the chemistry that unfolds when the solar wind pelts the Moon’s surface.

As the Sun streams protons to the Moon, they found, those particles interact with electrons in the lunar surface, making hydrogen (H) atoms.

These atoms then migrate through the surface and latch onto the abundant oxygen (O) atoms bound in the silica (SiO2) and other oxygen-bearing molecules that make up the lunar soil, or regolith. Together, hydrogen and oxygen make the molecule hydroxyl (OH), a component of water, or H2O.

“We think of water as this special, magical compound,” said William Farrell, a plasma physicist at NASA who helped develop the simulation. “But here’s what’s amazing: every rock has the potential to make water, especially after being irradiated by the solar wind.”

Do you think NASA will eventually be able to set up a permanent human presence on the moon?

6 comments

I fail to understand why people are so fascinated by living on the Moon or Mars.  Both planets are barren and Mars in particular is buffeted for months on end by dust storms.  Instead of spending billions of dollars on the idea of living in these inhospitable places, the money would be best spent on fixing our own planet Earth.

I second and third that! even Israel has just spent millions on sending another Rover or a Moyshe to land on the moon! What’s the point?

I also fully agree with that Arjan,   we have ruined this planet AND also outer space just get this wonderful planet FIXED and learn to look after it!

I agree, Arjan, We need to be looking at sorting ourselves out first...although perhaps we could use the moon as a penal colony.

Water on the moon? So who mows the lawn? Aha, its the man in the moon!

Couldn't agree more!

Man was made to chart new territories, that's what it's all about. 

“Man was made to chart new territories, that’s what it’s all about”. Really!!! What about looking after our magnificent planet first?

What are you doing to look after the planet???

The resources provided by Earth are being depleted and the resources we have will not last forever. Not to be dramatic but human life will be in danger around the globe and that’s why it is thought exploring other solutions like the moon might be the way to go.

 

"Man was made to chart new territories, that's what it's all about. "

Right on Bro. Evidence suggests the moon is a big chunk of the Earth that split off when all the big banging was going on so, it’s possibly not impossible to be able to make water on the moon. If this can be done we then have a potential reservoir that could be used for drinking or to make into hydrogen and oxygen which could be used as rocket propellant, making more space travel a great possibility. Having water and the possibility for growing food means the potential for mining the moon for resources such as Helium-3, gold, platinum etc could help researchers develop human space colonies for future generations.

The Chinese have announced plans to mine Helium-3 on the moon. Helium-3 is a clean, non-radioactive energy source that could potentially power nuclear fusion reactors. They believe a relatively small amount could produce enough clean fuel to power entire industries, if not the entire planet. What that means is future earthlings could have safe nuclear reactors and dirt cheap energy.

I’m all for it, but won’t be setting foot on the moon until they can grow grapes and produce a decent bottle of wine! Cheers mate!

Since you think this way, do you vote Green? Seems to me the Libs and Nats are not helping this planet in any way at all. What are you doing to change things?

Hey RobiConda!!!! Nice new name. LOL

HAHAHAHA  never mind water on the moon Ray

ROBICONDA 's  got water on the brain !!!!!!!!!

https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/the_meeting_place/post/today-4?page=71

More like a deluge if you ask me, LOL

we do need to look after our planet first,  but ,  the way the earth is being populated,    we will need somewhere to go,   this planet can only do/ hold so much,   we are already overpopulated,     in time,  we will HAVE to find other places to live,    whether it is the moon,  i dont know,    but in this vast universe i fail to see that we are the only planet that can sustain life,  

We have treated the Earth in a disrespectful way ruined the whole planet --and now we want to step onto others planets and screw them too --when will greedy humans realise that everything is put in a place for a purpose and it is NOT for the greed of humans 

In not having an atmosphere, the moon for extents and purposes is in a vacuum. If natural forces such as solar winds created water as supposed, that water would boil instantly as any does in the vacuum of space. 

If the moon produces enough of this and enough gravity to think a mini atmosphere may exist somewhere close to ground level (above or below) then the moon walks (assuming they happened) failed to register the same. Good luck anyway for finding sufficient quantities held in ice which may be able to be formed within this 'atmosphere.'

Still, all sorts of things are possible. Seems odd that NASA would put ideas like this out there without sufficient explanation to cover objections that basic physics would seem to suggest.

6 comments



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